Half Changed World

This month’s Blogging for Book’s assignment is to "describe in 2,000 words or less why your life would make perfect sitcom."

Ok, here’s the pitch:  "It’s about a family — with two boys — a toddler and a preschooler — but the twist is that the DAD stays home with them, while the mom works.  And he drives a minivan!"

Are you doubled over with laughter yet?  No?  Oh, I’m not either.  Gee, I guess that unless you find the concept of a father changing a diaper inherently hysterical, my life probably won’t make a good sitcom.  Oh well.

So, I’ve been trying to figure out what sort of TV show my life is:

Blessedly, it’s not a soap opera.  No life-threatening illnesses, no affairs, no mistaken identities. Thank you, G-d; if possible, I’d like to keep it that way.

In spite of my sons’ best efforts, it’s not an opera.  While there’s lots of singing, and occasionally bursts of passion (otherwise known as tantrums), there’s no build-up to a dramatic peak with the tension resolved in the final act.

It is definitely not a decorating, or house repair show.  All our walls are off-white and when something leaks, we call a plumber.

My husband suggested that it’s an old-time serial adventure, with the hero getting into a scrape each week, but always pulling off a daring escape by the end of the episode.  And it’s true, our dialogue often sounds like a bad melodrama:

"You must go to sleep."

"But I can’t go to sleep."

"But you must go to sleep."

"But I can’t go to sleep"

"But you must go to sleep."

"I’ll go to sleep."

"My hero!"

However, I’ve decided that it’s really a science show, something that might run on the Discovery Channel late at night.  One day we learn what happens to milk that has been left at room temperature in a sippy cup for two week, the next day we discuss where pee-pee comes from.  We learn some biology, some physics (our youngest cast member is engaged in an extensive exploration of gravity and its effects on everything from his breakfast to Daddy’s keyboard), a little meteorology. The budget may be low, the effects cheesy, but we’re all learning together and having a good time.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 6th, 2004 at 11:12 pm and is filed under Personal, Television. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.